Yashiro Japanese Garden

Culminating seven years of planning and work, the garden represents a joint effort of the Olympia-Yashiro Sister City Association and the City of Olympia. The garden is symbolic of the ties between Olympia and Yashiro, Japan. Dedication of the garden was May 6, 1990, following a two-year construction effort of 75 volunteers. Robert Murase’s park design defines a true Japanese garden as “a visionary expression about our connectedness to nature and earth.” The specific placement of plants, water and stone carries a message of land stewardship, nature, religious thought, friendship, compassion, cultural exchange and understanding.

Open daily dawn to dusk, free, 1010 Plum St. S.E. just a short walk from the Inn

Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge

Some 3,000 acres of salt- and freshwater marshes, grasslands, riparian and mixed forest habitats that provide resting and nesting areas for migratory waterfowl, songbirds, raptors and wading birds. The Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge is a truly beautiful place to go for eithe ra short of longer hike. There is a boardwalk, the Twin barns, the old dikes, McAllister Creek and the Nisqually River just to name a few of the highlights.

The addition of the boardwalk over the delta makes for a wonderful flat three mile round trip walk. Perfect for on the way to the Inn or as you leave, if you are heading to or from Seattle.

Make certain you bring your binoculars, as there is plenty of wildlife. Some of the bird life you will maybe see;

Capitol Forest

Capitol State Forest, just 5 miles from Olympia, is popular for a wide variety of recreation opportunities. Open to the public since 1955, campers, hikers, hunters, horseback riders, mountain bikers, and motorcycle riders play here. Whether spending a week in a campsite, an hour picking mushrooms or taking an afternoon drive for the scenic views, more than 150,000 people visit each year.

Olympic National Park

Olympic National Park’s true distinction lies in its stunning diversity. Few places on earth have so much of everything: human and natural history, unusual flora and fauna, utter wilderness and spots for every kind of outdoor recreation.

Mount St. Helens

At 8:32 Sunday morning, May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens erupted.

Shaken by an earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale, the north face of this tall symmetrical mountain collapsed in a massive rock debris avalanche. Nearly 230 square miles of forest was blown over or left dead and standing. At the same time a mushroom-shaped column of ash rose thousands of feet skyward and drifted downwind, turning day into night as dark, gray ash fell over eastern Washington and beyond. The eruption lasted 9 hours, but Mount St. Helens and the surrounding landscape were dramatically changed within moments.

In 1982 the President and Congress created the 110,000-acre National Volcanic Monument for research, recreation, and education. Inside the Monument, the environment is left to respond naturally to the disturbance.